Improvement in water-wheels



C(thrilled tutea @stent (itjijiire.

Letters Patent No. 108,209, dated October 1'1. 1870.

IMPROVEMENT INl WATER-WHEELS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent: and making part cf the Same.

To all whom it may concern.-

Bc it known that l, ALBun'r l.. 'Err-renew, of

-in `Ta'tcr-Viliecls, of' which the following isadcscription.

Figure l is a side view ot' the whccl.

Figure 2, a view of the upper side.

VFigure 3, a view ot' the under side.

Figure 4, a vertical transverse section.

Figure 5, a detached section.

Figure (5, a view of agate.

Like letters of referencer-eth1' to like parts in the dill'crent views.

The nature of this invention relates to the buckets of a water-wheel ot' the turbine class, the object in view being to so construct the buckets of said wheel that they shall have a larger' discharging capacity than those in ordinary use. i

It .also relates to the gates ot' the wheel, they being so constructed and arranged that the water is admitted to the wheel at several points simultaneously, and all in one direction, so that its action upon the wheel shall be direct and el equal force, as herein.- after more fully described.

A represents a case or curb, in which the wheel l5, 3, is hung on the shatt or spindle O, fi". 4, having its end bearing in a step secured tothr` cross-piece l), lig. 3.

It will be observed that the hub orcorc ofthe wheel is of a conical form, the upper diameter ot' which being considerably larger than the lower one, as will be seen in the transverse section, tig. 1.

On the face of the hub or core is arranged a series of wings or buckets, E, having a winding direction around it, or relatively to its axial line, and which are also slight-ly curved longitudinally.

It will be observed that said buckets do not project radially from the hub or core, but obliquely there from, so that they have an inclining positiontoward each other, as shown in iig. 3.

,lt will also be observed that the upper side ot' the wheel iscovcrcd by a disk, l', lig. 4, thc margin of which projects beyond the core to the cxtreme edge of the wings, thereby covering them and the spaces between, the purpose ol' which will presently bel shown.

In the core, on i'onr opposite sides -of' its diameter, are openings or gateways, one et' which is shown at .l1,fig.1; saidgateways are closed by the gate G, pivoted in the top .ll and flange l ofthe core, antibetween which it swings for closing and opening theA ways, and which is done by the segmental gear J, secured tothe upper end of the pivoted sha-tt K, on which the gate swings.

Said gear isoperated by the toothed wheel L, in which the four segmental gears engage, and whereby the several gates are actuated simultaneously for opening and closing the gates, the outer end ot' the gate being attached to the segment at or near its periphery, as seen at the point a, fig. 1, so that the segment acts as alevcr upon the outer end of the gate, thereby actuating it easily and readily, the wheel L being actuated by the hand-wheel and pinions'M N, secured to the ends of the shaft O.

' l t will be seen, on referring to iig. 3, that .the gate is curving from its connection with the segment at shut, closes the opening or water-way, whereas the curving part of the gate falls back against the rear side of the openings or chutes at the point Q, lig. 1, thereby closing them, and which is made secure from leakage by a packing ot' rubber, 1t, iig. 3, or other suitable material, secured to the outer end ofthe gate, and which falls closely against the rear edge ot' the chute.

lhc advantages resulting from a wheel construct-ed and arranged as above described are, viz., by giving to the side A otl the case a spiral curving direction, as indicated by the dotted lines a, iig. 3, the water is caused to inipingc upon the wheel nearly in the" line ot' its rotation 5 hence a more direct action ot' the water in the line of movementis obtained than if the water ilnpingcd upon the wheel at an approximate radial line, which wouldbe tlieresult if the side ofthe case was not thus spirallyinelined; also, each gate opens exactly in' the same direction, and of an equal extent and simultaneously, at all four points; therefore, the water from each gate acts equally upon the wheel in one direction, or at the same angle; hence there is no loss in the effective force of the water upon the wheel by iinpinging upon it at various angles, as is the case when let upon the wheel in the ordinary way.

1n consequence ot' covering the upper ends of the buckets or wings by the disk S, theY water, as it impinges upon the wheel,` strikes the under side of the disk.; also, the side of the core, the result ot which is to Vlift the wheel, thereby releasing the step from much ot' the weight of' t-hc wheel while it is in operation. f

Ai'urther advantage obtained in this wheel consists in facilitating the escape of the water from the wheel, and which I accomplish by increasing the area of the space between the wings or buckets at the lower side of thc wheel. This is done by giving the core a conical form, the shortest diameter of the bore being that of the lower side; hence, the water will be (lischarged' from the wheel with greater freedom than if the core was of au equal diameter throughout in length, and, therefore, little or no obstructionofspenb water will embarrass the revolution ol' the wheel.

By giving to the buckets aspiral and curving p osition, as above described, the water, as it impiuges upon them, has a stronger hold upon the wheel, and,

therefore, exerts its full force upon it.

As above remarked, the gate is made curving, as shown iu iig. 6, thereby presenting its concave face toward the iu-owing stream. To prevent any eddying or counter-current of the water, the cone-ave of the gate may be closed up, and thereby prevent any` such like result.

Awvater wheel, when constructed with an inverted conical hub or core B, spirally curving wings or buckets E, and top or cover E', substantially-iu the manner as described, as aud for the purpose set forth.

ALBERT P. TEACHOUT.

'Witnesses 4 J J. MITCHELL,

HORACE. ALvo'Rn. 

